Port St. Joe girls fall in district final; headed to playoffs

By Star Staff Report

Published: Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 09:47 AM.

In what Port St. Joe coach Gary Hindley called a “hotly-contested back-and-forth battle” the visiting Franklin County Lady Seahawks came away with a 2-1 victory in last week’s District 1-1A tournament.

Franklin County entered as the top seed and will host a region playoff game this week. Port St. Joe, the third seed, fell to 10-5-1 overall and visited Tallahassee John Paul II on Wednesday in a region opener.

Franklin scored the first two goals, taking a 2-0 lead in the first 32 minutes of the opening half.

The Lady Tiger Sharks mounted a second half assault on the Franklin County goal but could only scored an unassisted goal by junior forward Allie Strippling, her fourth of the year.

Port St. Joe outshot Franklin 12-6.

Goalie Christian Laine, a junior, played 62 minutes in goal and made four saves before she was inserted at forward. Seventh-grader Celeste Childs finished the final 18 minutes in the net and had to make only a single save, as Port St. Joe pressed the attack.

The Lady Tiger Sharks reached the district title game with a 1-0 victory over second-seeded Rocky Bayou. Franklin County was a 6-1 winner over Baker, the fourth seed.

In what Port St. Joe coach Gary Hindley called a “hotly-contested back-and-forth battle” the visiting Franklin County Lady Seahawks came away with a 2-1 victory in last week’s District 1-1A tournament.

Franklin County entered as the top seed and will host a region playoff game this week. Port St. Joe, the third seed, fell to 10-5-1 overall and visited Tallahassee John Paul II on Wednesday in a region opener.

Franklin scored the first two goals, taking a 2-0 lead in the first 32 minutes of the opening half.

The Lady Tiger Sharks mounted a second half assault on the Franklin County goal but could only scored an unassisted goal by junior forward Allie Strippling, her fourth of the year.

Port St. Joe outshot Franklin 12-6.

Goalie Christian Laine, a junior, played 62 minutes in goal and made four saves before she was inserted at forward. Seventh-grader Celeste Childs finished the final 18 minutes in the net and had to make only a single save, as Port St. Joe pressed the attack.

The Lady Tiger Sharks reached the district title game with a 1-0 victory over second-seeded Rocky Bayou. Franklin County was a 6-1 winner over Baker, the fourth seed.

Freshman Kathleen Rish, Port St. Joe’s leading scorer, connected on the lone goal (her 13th on the season) in the 65th minute from 10 yards out, Hindley said Laine and a stout defensive effort held off several good scoring chances by Rocky Bayou in the final 15 minutes. Port St. Joe outshot Rocky Bayou 12-9.

Laine was forced to make six saves. Her record in goal is now 7-3-1 and her goals against average was lowered to .756. It was the ninth shutout of the year for the Port St Joe Lady Tiger Sharks.

The Tiger Sharks

The Port St. Joe boys (11-2-1 overall) enter this week’s District 1-1A tournament at Freeport as the top seed. The Tiger Sharks will play the winner of a play-in game pitting No. 4 Freeport versus No. 5 Baker, played on Monday. Port St. Joe played 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday at Freeport. The other semifinal pits Rocky Bayou, the second seed, against Franklin County, the third seed, at 4 p.m. CT. The District 1-1A final game is 6 p.m. CT Friday at Freeport.